Respirator



W. H. WOOD RESPIRATOR Filed June 30 1919 Patented July 22, 1924.

STATES mm H. WOOD, OF SOUTH EUCLID, OHIO.

BIBPIRATOB.

Application filed June 80,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM H. WOOD, a citizen of the United States, residing at' South Euclid, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Respirators, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to respirators, such as are employed for the purpose of preventing the inhalation of dust and other particles in suspension by operators in various industries. It is the general object of the invention to provide a respirator of this character which is more eflicient in opera-' tion than those in general use. Further and more limited advantages of the invention are to provide a respirator which is simple and economical of production; which can be worn without discomfort; which will be capable of long-continued use; which may be conveniently assembled; and which will permit the easy removal and renewal of the straining or collecting element.

I accomplish these objects in and through the construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the drawings forming part hereof, wherein Fig. 1 represents a perspective view of an embodiment of my resplrator showing its manner of use; Fig. 2 a similar view of the separated component parts of the respirator; and Fig. 3 a vertical sectional view through the respirator.

The respirator shown herein comprises three parts, namely: a combined clamping and base member, a cooperating clamping member, and a straining or sediment-r moving member or element adapted to be interposed between and clamped by the first mentioned members in operative relation to the face of the wearer.

Describing the parts by reference char acters, 1 denotes the combined base and clamping member. This member may be made of any suitable rigid material and is so shaped as to engage and conform more or less closely at its base portion to the nose, cheeks and chin of the wearer, being provided with a central arch 2 at one end thereof for application to the nose. The member 1 is provided with an open-work supporting frame for the straining element or member, the said frame projecting outwardly so as to sustain the said element at a suitable distance from the mouth and nose of the 1919. Serial No. 307,497.

wearer. This frame is shown as provided by a plurality of wires or light bars 3 formng pro ections on the frame and bent each in an inverted U-form, each having its ends secured to the outer portion of the member 1. A second set of wires or light bars 4 are shown as extending at substantially right angles to the wires or bars 3 and connected 1n like manner to the member 1, the wires or bars 3 and 4 forming an open-work frame for the straining element 5. This element may be of any pliable or yielding porous material such as gauze or light bath toweling, and is of sufficiently greater extent than the exterior supporting surface provided by the parts 1, 3 and 4 to enable the edges 5 tobear against and conform to the face of the wearer and provide a dust-excluding contact therewith.

Cooperating with the member 1 is the clamping member 6, which is of the same general contour as the member 1, the outer peripheral surface of the base of the member and the inner surface of the member 6 belng preferably beveled, whereby the application of the member 6 to the member. 1 will result in clamping the element 5 therebetween. The member 6 is shown as provided with a pair of wires 7 pivoted to opposite sides thereof and each having a hook 8 adapted to be engaged behind an ear of the wearer.

The members 1 and 6 maybe made of any light material such as aluminum or wood, and the complete device may be supported by the ears of the wearer, without the discomfort which is a necessary incident to the use of the ordinary, heavy respirator. The construction and arrangement of parts .is such that the edges of the straining element 5 lie snugly against the face of the wearer, thus preventing access of dust or other particles between such edges and the face.

When it is desired to replace the said ele ment, it is necessary only to move the member 6 away from the member 1, which will permit the straining element to be removed from the latter member and to be sterilized and re-used. The construction of the support for the straining element insures a maximum breathing surface, which adds materially to the comfort of the wearer. A further advantage of the invention resides in the fact that the respirator may be used indefinitely, requiring only the renewal of the straining element from time to time;

and, as pointed out, the straining element may be sterilized and re-used indefinitely.

Having thus described my invention, what Iclaimis: a

1. A respirator comprising a base member adapted to conform to the face of the wearer, said member having an outwardly inclined surface, an open-work supporting frame projecting outwardly from said member, a clamping member adapted to be aplied to the inclined outer surface of the rst mentioned member, a pliable strainer element adapted to be inserted between said members and to be supported upon said frame, and means connected with the clamping member for-supporting the respirator in operative relation to the face of the wearer. 2. In a respirator, the combination of a rigid base member adapted to conform to the face of a wearer and having its peripheral surface beveled outwardly toward its base,

'rods or wires secured to said base member and projecting outwardly therefrom to provide an open-work frame,'a clamping member shaped to fit about said base member, a pliable strainer member extending over said frame and the inclined surface of the base member, and hooks pivoted to opposite sides of the clamping member.

3. In a respirator, the combination of a rigid base member, a clamping member, and a strainer member of pliable material, the base member and the clamping .iember being shaped so that, when connected, the marinal portion of the strainer member will be orced into dust-excluding direct contact with the face of a wearer, and means for securing together the base member, the strainer member, and the clamping member and for supporting all of said members upon the face of the wearer.

4:. A respirator comprising a rigid 0 en base member shaped to conform to the ace of a wearer and having an inclined outer surface; a strainer member of yielding material overlying said base member and adapted to be clamped between said base member and a clamping member in position to engage the face of the wearer; and an open clamping member having an inner surface complementary to the inclined outer surface of said base member, adapted to clamp said strainer member between itself and said base member in position to engage the face of the wearer, and'of such size relative to said base member that in normal clamping position said clamping member is received upon said base member substantially to the face engaging edge of said base member and is thereby effective to positively force said strainer member against the face of the wearer.

5. A respirator comprising a rigid open base member shaped to conform to the face of a wearer and having an inclined outer surface; a strainer member of yielding material overlying said base member and adapted to be clamped between said base member and a clamping member in position to "extend inwardly to engage the face of the wearer; and an open clampingmember having an inner surface complementary to the inclined outer surface of said base member, adapted to clamp said strainer member between itself and said base member in position to extend inwardly to engage the face of the wearer, and of such size relative to said base member that in normal clamping position said clamping member is received upon said base member substantially to the face-engaging edge of said base member and is thereby eflective to positively force said strainer member against the face of the wearer.

6. A respirator comprising an open base member shaped to conform to the face of a wearer; a strainer member of yielding material overlying said base member and ada ted to be clamped between said base member and a clamping member in position to engage the face of a wearer; and an open clamping member having that edge adjacent the face of the wearer also shaped to conform to the face of the wearer, adapted to clamp said strainer member between itself and said base member in position to engage the face of the wearer, and adjustable upon said base member to permit cooperation between said clamping member and said base member to compensate for variations in the face of the wearer and thus cause said strainer member to closely engage the face of the wearer despite said variations.

7. A respirator comprising a rigid open base member shaped to conformto the face of a wearer and having an inclined outer surface; a strainer member of yielding material overlying said base member and ada ted to be clamped between said base mem er and a clamping member in position to engage the face of the wearer; an open clamping member having an inner surface complementary to the inclined outer surface of said base member, adapted to clamp said strainer member between itself and said base member in position to engage the face of the wearer, and of such size relative to said base member that in normal clamping position said clamping member is received upon said base member substantially to the face-engaging edge of said base member and is thereby effective to positively force said strainer member against the face of the wearer; and means for securing all of said members to the head of the wearer.

8. A respirator comprising a rigid open base member shaped to conform to the face of a wearer and having an inclined outer surface; a strainer member of yielding material overlying said base member and adapted to be clamped between said base member and a elamplng member in position to extend inwardly to engage the face of the wearer; an open clamping member having an inner surface eemplementary to the inelined outer surface of said base member, adapted to clamp said strainer member between itself and said hase member in position to extend inwardly to engage the face of the wearer, and of such size relative to said base memher that in normal clamping position said clampin member is reeeived upon said base mem er substantially to the face-engaging edge of said base member and is thereby efiective to positively force said strainer member against the face of the wearer; and means for securing all of said members to the head of the wearer.

' In testimony whereof, I hereunto affix my signature.

WILLIAM H. WOOD. 

